The World Described - photo 1

The World Described

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$ 63 000
Auction dateClassic
25.04.2022 10:00UTC -04:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
Event location
USA, New York
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Archive
ID 743668
Lot 19 | The World Described
MOLL, Herman (1654?-1732). The World described; or a New and Correct Sett of Mapps. Shewing the Several Empires, Kingdoms, Republics, Principalities, Provinces &c in all Known Parts of the World. London: Tho. Bowles, c.1733.A fine example of Herman Moll’s important world atlas, consisting of 30 large two-sheet maps covering the whole world: two world maps, four covering the British Isles, 14 of Europe, one of Africa, three of Asia, and six of the Americas. The maps – as stated in the title-page text – were "sold either single or in Setts," i.e. individually or bound as an atlas. As a result the majority of the maps bear the imprint of several different mapsellers. The present example bears the imprints of Philp Overton, John Bowles, his brother Thomas Bowles, and John King. Their respective addresses suggest a date of around 1730 to 1733.The atlas contains two important maps of North America: "A New and Exact Map of the Dominions of the King of Great Britain on ye Continent of North America," also known as the "Beaver" map on account of its attractive vignette showing a beaver colony near Niagara Falls; and "A New Map of the North Parts of America Claimed by France." Both are among "the first and most important cartographic documents relating to the ongoing dispute between France and Great Britain over boundaries separating their respective American colonies" (Pritchard & Taliaferro). The Beaver map (here in its fourth state c.1731) is also considered to be the first postal map of the colonies.Moll’s map of the East Indies is also of note, as it is one of the first English two-sheet maps of the area. The map stretches from India to Papua New Guinea, and bears several large insets of the area’s most important trading posts. The map is dedicated to the Directors of the East India Company, whose coat-of-arms can be seen above the title.Shirley T.MOLL 4-a; NMM 397; Phillips Atlases 554; Henry Stevens and Henry Robert Peter Stevens, The World Described in thirty large two-sheet maps by Herman Moll Geographer (1952); Pritchard and Taliaferro 19, state 4. & 21.Large folio (650 x 573mm). 30 large engraved maps, all on two sheets, excepting the map of the world which is printed on three joined sheets, hand-colored in outline, contemporary manuscript list of contents front free endpaper (some occasional light staining, first map with some repaired edge tears and one neatly repaired closed tear through cartouche). Later half calf over marbled-paper covered boards to style, spine lettered in gilt.
Place of origin:United Kingdom
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
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11.04.2022 – 25.04.2022
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